Taehyung's gaze stays focused on Yoongi until the older takes it into his own hands.

"You paid a lot of money to get him out." Yoongi presses. "Why?

"Yoongi, you know his work, the first person his men come after is his furious wife who disappeared all of a sudden!" she looks at Taehyung "they're blaming me for what happened to him, and when they find me, they'll do what he didn't have the guts to do."

"You didn't know you were leaving Jungkook, I can forgive you for that," Yoongi speaks, taking deliberate steps towards the woman. "But do you have any idea, at all," He places his hands on the table, "why his father is in here, facing death penalty?"

Taehyung sits back, jaw clenched, staring at the wall.

The woman stays silent, staring back at Yoongi, she shakes her head hesitantly. She has a vague idea. Kangdae is a mobster, there's a handful of reasons if not two.

Yoongi scoffs. "Of course not." he turns around, walking to grab a folder from the table by the door. He comes back and drops it right in front of her. She hesitates.

Finally tearing her eyes away from Yoongi, the woman grabs the folder and opens it.

Her eyes scan the category area, skimming through the words. 'Identity Fraud page 10, Drug Trafficking page 17, Homicide page 25' and so on, she expected all of that to be in here.

And then her gaze freezes upon one. One she did not expect.

'Child Abuse, page 36'

"Child abuse?" She mumbles, turning to page 36. "He never-" she looks up at the two men in front of her, both pairs of eyes filled with something dark. "He barely ever raised his voice at Jungkook," she looks back down at the paper "let alone-" she stops. Stares at the date of the accusations.

"Ara," Yoongi slowly crouches beside the table so he can look up at her. He holds onto the edge of the table with one hand. "Kangdae faked both yours, and Jungkook's deaths."

Her eyes jump from word to word on the paper and each one breaks her heart and builds up in anger. She looks at Yoongi. "Jungkook-" she breathes "Where is- how is he?"

Yoongi looks to Taehyung, glances at the door. Taehyung nods and stands up, leaving the room.

---

Jungkook looks up when the doors open. It felt like ages, sitting out in the empty hallway, waiting for he's not even sure what. His mother, who apparently never died, a wall away. His father locked up somewhere in this building.

Taehyung's eyes meet Jungkook's and walks up to where the boy is sitting, crouching in front of him.

Jungkook gets flooded with worry. "What happened?"

Taehyung takes hold of Jungkook's hands, dropping his head with a breathy laugh. He's not sure ho to begin. "Your father faked your mom's death," Taehyung says, squeezing his hands. Jungkook already knows that. "he faked yours too."

The boy blinks. "What...?"

"You were staying over at Jimin's a few nights, before he told you she died?"

"How do you know that?"

"He used that, told her you died after he took you to work with him." Taehyung explains. "She ran away from him because she thought you were dead."

Jungkook looks away, looks back at Taehyung. He doesn't know what to think. How to feel.

It's a weird relief that overwhelms him but at the same time he's anxious. She didn't die, she didn't leave him, she wasn't aware he was alive.

And then fear sets in. Will she still care about him the way she used to?

"Do you want to talk to her?" Taehyung stands up slowly.

Jungkook hesitantly nods, standing up in silence.

Taehyung sits down, deciding this is probably where he should back down. Jungkook probably wants to be alone with her and Yoongi. Both of them deserve their answers.

"Tae," Jungkook turns around, facing Taehyung.

Taehyung looks up at him witha quiet "Hm?"

"I want you to come with me this time." He takes Taehyung's hand in his. The elder smiles at him.

He can feel Jungkook's grip tightening once they reach the door. And then they step in.

Jungkook's hand doesn't leave Taehyung's. He feels like this man is the only thing grounding him right now.

He stares at the woman sat at the table. At his mother.

She looks up, eyes red, cheeks stained with tears and the folder Yoongi brought, open in front of her. Her hands aren't cuffed anymore. She stands up.

Jungkook doesn't move. Not when she walks around the table and slowly, carefully towards him, not when she brings her hands up to his face and smiles, crying.

"I'm sorry-" she whispers "I'm so sorry."

Taehyung gently lets go of Jungkook's hand. The boy immediately wraps his arms around his mother, silent.

"Jungkook, I'm so sorry." She hiccups, her arms wrapping around her son's frame protectively.

"It's okay."

Jungkook didn't realise he was crying until his mother pulled back to wipe his tears away. Neither did he realise he was smiling, not before she smiled back.

Some sort of weight he long forgot about, dropped off of his heart. Pain he almost completely stopped feeling, now gone. Just gone. He's peaceful.

---

"Since the moment you told me my father is alive, and slowly heading towards freedom..." Jungkook starts speaking, tone barely above a whisper. "I was so scared."

He's sat in the hallway with Taehyung, waiting. Yoongi almost immediately took Ara to get all the money back and make sure Kangdae breathes his last breath by the end of this week.

"And I couldn't deal with it the way I did in the past... I used to control it,"

Taehyung looks to his side, gazing at his boyfriend, listening carefully.

"And now I realize that's because in the past, the only life I had to be scared for was mine," He fidgets with his sleeve. "but this time I was only scared for yours."

Taehyung smiles lightly "Is that really whats on your mind right now?"

Jungkook drops his head down. "I don't know what to think," he laughs too "let me be."

Taehyung lays his hand on top of the boy's thigh, massaging in circles with his thumb.

Jungkook drops his head on the elders shoulder. "I'm really tired." he closes his eyes.

Taehyung turns his head, nuzzling his nose in the boy's hair "I know." he presses a gentle kiss. "We'll go back to the hotel soon."

Yoongi walks down the hallways, hands in pockets. Taehyung looks up.

The elder smiles lightly at the two. "How cute." he comments "and gay."

Taehyung rolls his eyes. Jungkook opens his and stares up at his best friend, not bothered to think of a comeback. He's got enough to think about as it is.

"You didn't like..." Taehyung glances at all the empty space behind Yoongi. "Kill her or anything?"

"Guess she doesn't really deserve it." Yoongi sighs. "She's signing the papers."

Jungkook though, doesn't say anything. He just stares at Yoongi, slightly resistant.

But once the elders eyes meet Jungkook's, it's enough of a push for the boy to get up and run up to him. Wrapping his arms around his best friend. And Yoongi is taken by surprise, and it takes him a second but he hugs back.

"Thank you."

Yoongi isn't quite sure if Jungkook should be thanking him. He feels he could have tried harder to help the boy, to be there for him. He could have done better. But he takes it and holds it close to his heart, hold him closer.

---

They got back to the hotel with Jungkook's mother, Yoongi helped her get a room for the night while Taehyung and Jungkook went back to their own room.

Jungkook hasn't said much on the way to the hotel. And Taehyung understands that. The boy has a lot on mind and he's tired. Besides, he doesn't seem upset. Perhaps a bit confused, trying to take in everything.

Taehyung places his jacket down on a chair once they walk into their room. He turns around to say something just to see Jungkook standing at the door, staring at the floor.

"Kook?" Taehyung takes a step forward.

Jungkook blinks and looks up at Taehyung. His gaze not quite focused. Taehyung realizes how how slightly the boy is swaying from side to side.

"Tae?" Jungkook struggles to keep his eyes open. "I'm not feeling well."

Taehyung doesn't have the time to reply before Jungkook drops to the floor.